Federal Furloughs Would Hit Around April 1

Need to Notify Workers 30 Days in Advance of Unpaid Leave Gives White House, Congress More Time to Undo Sequester

By

Damian Paletta

Updated Feb. 20, 2013 10:13 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON—Federal workers are expected to begin taking unpaid leave by late March or early April if the government absorbs $85 billion in spending cuts set to start March 1, according to estimates from different agencies.

Even though the process begins March 1, many federal agencies must notify employees 30 days before beginning furloughs. That means the eventual impact of the cuts at many agencies could be slow-moving and give...